Ideas of Baron de Montesquieu, by Theme
[French, 1689 - 1755, Wealthy freelance writer.]
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22. Metaethics / C. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / j. Ethics by convention
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19956
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True goodness is political, and consists of love of and submission to the laws
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24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / b. The natural life
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19962
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Men do not desire to subjugate one another; domination is a complex and advanced idea
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19961
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Primitive people would be too vulnerable and timid to attack anyone, so peace would reign
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24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / c. A unified people
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19963
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People are drawn into society by needs, shared fears, pleasure, and knowledge
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20008
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People are guided by a multitude of influences, from which the spirit of a nation emerges
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24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 2. Population / b. State population
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19992
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In a large republic there is too much wealth for individuals to manage it
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19993
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In small republics citizens identify with the public good, and abuses are fewer
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24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 4. Original Position / b. Veil of ignorance
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20005
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The rich would never submit to a lottery deciding which part of their society should be slaves
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24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 1. Purpose of a State
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19995
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All states aim at preservation, and then have distinctive individual purposes
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24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / a. Autocracy
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19964
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The natural power of a father suggests rule by one person, but that authority can be spread
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24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / b. Monarchy
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19972
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The nobility are an indispensable part of a monarchy
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19986
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Monarchies can act more quickly, because one person is in charge
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19974
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Monarchs must not just have links to the people; they need a body which maintains the laws
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19976
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Ambition is good in a monarchy, because the monarch can always restrain it
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19978
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In monarchies, men's actions are judged by their grand appearance, not their virtues
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19985
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In a monarchy, the nobility must be hereditary, to bind them together
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24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / c. Despotism
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19975
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Despots are always lazy and ignorant, so they always delegate their power to a vizier
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19977
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Despotism and honour are incompatible, because honour scorns his power, and lives by rules
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20007
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Tyranny is either real violence, or the imposition of unpopular legislation
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19989
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The will of a despot is an enigma, so magistrates can only follow their own will
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19988
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A despot's agents must be given power, so they inevitably become corrupt
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24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / d. Elites
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19970
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If the nobility is numerous, the senate is the artistocracy, and the nobles are a democracy
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19971
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Aristocracy is democratic if they resemble the people, but not if they resemble the monarch
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19984
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Great inequality between aristocrats and the rest is bad - and also among aristocrats themselves
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24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 3. Government / a. Government
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19980
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If a government is to be preserved, it must first be loved
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19996
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A government has a legislature, an international executive, and a domestic executive
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24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 3. Government / b. Legislature
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19997
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The judiciary must be separate from the legislature, to avoid arbitrary power
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24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / b. Consultation
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19965
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The fundamental laws of a democracy decide who can vote
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19968
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It is basic to a democracy that the people themselves must name their ministers
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19969
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Voting should be public, so the lower classes can be influenced by the example of notable people
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19999
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All citizens (apart from the very humble poor) should choose their representatives
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24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / c. Direct democracy
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19966
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A democratic assembly must have a fixed number, to see whether everyone has spoken
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19967
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In a democracy the people should manage themselves, and only delegate what they can't do
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24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / d. Representative democracy
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19998
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If deputies represent people, they are accountable, but less so if they represent places
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25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 1. Slavery
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20000
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Slavery is entirely bad; the master abandons the virtues, and they are pointless in the slave
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20003
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Slaves are not members of the society, so no law can forbid them to run away
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20006
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The demand for slavery is just the masters' demand for luxury
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25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 3. Free speech
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20009
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Freedom of speech and writing, within the law, is essential to preserve liberty
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25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 5. Freedom of lifestyle
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19994
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Freedom in society is ability to do what is right, and not having to do what is wrong
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25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 1. Grounds of equality
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19981
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No one even thinks of equality in monarchies and despotism; they all want superiority
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19991
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Equality is not command by everyone or no one, but command and obedience among equals
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25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 2. Political equality
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19990
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Democracy is corrupted by lack of equality, or by extreme equality (between rulers and ruled)
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25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 4. Economic equality
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19983
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Democracies may sometimes need to restrict equality
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19982
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Some equality can be achieved by social categories, combined with taxes and poor relief
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25. Social Practice / D. Justice / 2. The Law / c. Natural law
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19959
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Prior to positive laws there is natural equity, of obedience, gratitude, dependence and merit
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19960
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Sensation gives animals natural laws, but knowledge can make them break them
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25. Social Practice / D. Justice / 3. Punishment / a. Right to punish
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20002
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The death penalty is permissible, because its victims enjoyed the protection of that law
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20010
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If religion teaches determinism, penalties must be severe; if free will, then that is different
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / d. Non-combatants
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20001
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The only right victors have over captives is the protection of the former
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 2. Religion in Society
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19987
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Religion has the most influence in despotic states, and reinforces veneration for the ruler
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20004
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French slavery was accepted because it was the best method of religious conversion
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20011
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Religion can support the state when the law fails to do so
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19973
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The clergy are essential to a monarchy, but dangerous in a republic
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / a. Aims of education
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19979
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In monarchies education ennobles people, and in despotisms it debases them
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / c. Teaching
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19957
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Teaching is the best practice of the general virtue that leads us to love everyone
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26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / c. Essence and laws
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19958
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Laws are the necessary relations that derive from the nature of things
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